In 1912, Scottish naturalist Eliza Brightwen (1830-1906) was described as "one of the most popular naturalists of her day." It's not difficult to see why. Brightwen was a keen observor of the nature around her home, "The Grove," where she spent most of her life (part of it as a near recluse). Brightwen not only observed the habits and behaviors of the various birds and beasts that lived around her, but brought many into her home. Some might argue that this is not exactly observing nature in its natural state - but her charming articles on her various animal companions shed insight into animal behaviors and characteristics that would not have been observed in any other way. Brightwen had a knack for portraying the "personalities" of her animal companions without anthropomorphizing or romanticizing them beyond recognition. All of the articles below appeared in The Girl's Own Paper; most originally appeared in her books, Wild Nature Won by Kindness, More About Wild Nature, and Inmates of My House and Garden (all of which are available from Archive.org).

Lemurs (1894)

On a pair owned by the author, and the habits of lemurs in the wild.

Asnapper: The Brown Owl, by Eliza Brightwen (1895)

Sharing the drawing-room with a particularly sociable bird.

Chance Glimpses of Nature, by Eliza Brightwen (1895)

Observations of the wild creatures in the neighborhood - including a rat diligently robbing the squirrels of their store of nuts, much to their dismay!

A "Fairy" Story (1895)

Her "fairy" was a tiny whitethroat, which took baths in a soapdish!

Mungo, by Eliza Brightwen (1895)

Mungo is, like Kipling's famous character, "eaten up from nose to tail with curiosity"!

Tame Doves (1895)

The Tree-Kittens (1896)

Anchor: A Stag-Beetle, by Eliza Brightwen (1897)

"A beetle is generally characterised as 'horrid,' and anyone liking such a creature is... considered eccentric," writes Eliza Brightwen - and then proceeds to delight us with her story of Anchor, her "pet" stag beetle.

The Fierceness of Gloucester: A Study in Taming Squirrels (1898)

A story about a rather bullying squirrel.

The Sorrows of a [Robin] Son and Heir (1898)

Rivalry between a pair of robins.

Mischievous Jack, by Eliza Brightwen (1899)

A charming account of a semi-tame jackdaw who wreaks havoc in the home and aviary!

Tame Voles (1899)

Merops/Merops Married, by Eliza Brightwen (1901)

The tale of Merops, a partially tame, solitary rook -- solitary until, at last, he finds his feathered soul-mate!

Ortolans, by Eliza Brightwen (1902)

Eliza Brightwen's "great failure," an attempt to keep a pair of ortolans.

Plants & Flowers

Insectivorous Plants (1897)

The Study of Mosses (1897)

Plant Treasures from Moor and Marsh (1901)